Fastener-applying implement



pril 5, 1949.

A. H. MAYNARD FAsTENER-APPLYING IMPLEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.17", 1945 v Filed Aug. 17, 1945 2 snets-sneet 2 April 5, y194:9., A. H.MAYNARD 2,466,551

FASTENER-APPLYING IMPLEMENT Patented Apr. 5, 1949 -U NIT-ESD ,S TATESzArthur H. Maynard, `Warwick, R. I., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Bostitch,:maya-corporation of RhodeflslandApplication August'l, 1945, Serial No. 610,961

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements 'in fastener-applying implementsfor vattaching -papers and other sheets, securing labels and'tags 'to`articles of commerce land -use generally for s'tapling and stitchingtogether various objects.

'One object of the invention is'to provide an imfplement of the typeindicated which is more convenient to load withfa supply of fasteners`and easier to `operate for the purposes specified.

Another object is to provide an implement of vimproved .construction andarrangement vcapable .of elicient operation and less subject to derange-`ment and wear in its mechanism.

.Another object is to `provide-an implement 'of the type indicatedadapted for economical i cost of manufacture and more durable for longpeeriods of use.

lFurther objects of the improvement lare set 4forth in the followingspecification which -de- :scribes a preferred formof construction of thefdevicegas illustrated by the accompanying ydrawings. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a. general view in perspectiveof 'the ;present improvedfastener-applying implement;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the. same; Fig. 3 is alongitudinal'sectionalview thereof; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of theimplement .similar to Fig. 2 .showing rthe driver-operating Alever orcover for the magazine Aas raised above -the latter for loading it withfasteners .such

as U-shaped staples;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view .of the latching means for thecover :taken on `linez-fi 0f Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a lperspective view of the `latch'for .retaining thedriver-lever or cover in operative Aposition relatively to .theVmagazine-arm;

Fig. 7 .is a perspective view of the shear-plate `mounting which definesthe rearward side of the .throat in vthe magazine through which vthefast- .eners are driven;` and Fig. 8 is an enlargedviewof the forwardpart yof the lever 5, part `sectional in a median longi- :tudinal planeand illustrating the latch and the .means for mounting it in place onthe' lever.

vReferring to the accompanying drawings, lthe -`present improvements areherein illustrated as 4applied to "a .fastener-applying implement :,for

Afeeding and drivingU-.shaped staplesfalthough they may also'be used indevices Ifor applying iother types of fasteners.

`The present implement comprises a base -2 2 rend o'f the base, varid anoperating lever'5 con- ,stitutedras a cover v*for the top ofthe magazine'in the armi.

rThellcase Z Vcomprisestwo parts, a sheetemetal r*plate 4i formed'withgaprotrusion or "boss 1 at its forward Iend indented lorjrec'esseil'toformithe rclinching grooves 3 vand yvertical stanchi'ons lil-at; itsrearward end 'fol-ded upwardly 4at its sides. AJLIhe metal Aplateispreferably supported on an ornamental rest forisubebase +I ,constructed'of plastic or the like, `r`loeing receivedin a vshallow recess "I2therein, 'see Fig, 3, shaped :in 4con- -iorrnity`to itsmarginal outline.The lplatetmay floe fastenedto the rest ll by means of a snap-',fasten'er +5, shown in' Fig. 'to adapt the 4oper- -ative parts -of'the vimplement vto lloe Adetached. 'therefrom "for use Without thesub-'basa I-Iingedly mounted above the "base 2 is the magazine-arm 4whichis of channel-'shape with ya Ibottom wall i8 and upstanding sides'll-9 for lenclosing the fasteners -or staples -s nresting J,on 'thevbottom. "The arm 14 i-s pivotally mounted atits rearward lendbetweenthe stanchions Il) Lby Lmeans /of `a ltransverse pin '20projecting throughf-circul-arfears on the'arm and-stanchions. IAtitsforward -end'lthe sides 19 of the arm vflare folded inwardly in ftabs 22partly "closing the :end --and forming #the --fore -part of 4the lthroatJthrough which the -fasteners -or staples are fdriven. IIhe'rearwardwall of the -throat 124 -is provided 'by fa -*shear-plate '-2'5,so-called, Ashown in detail iin Fig. 7, which 4is formed Awithrearwardly- 'extending legs 126 ffor ymounting vit 'Within the fsi'desvI8 of thefarmf-d. Referring-to Figs.-"2, "3f and 27, the `1egs "2-6v'are f provided with' lugs `2l at their loweraedgeslinserted inf-slotsinthe bottomwall EN and swe'dged 'or kriveted-over A1to lfasten -theshear-plate'. in `position inlspaced'v-relation to the ,40 itabs '-22:which cooperate therewith `to fform Athe narrow throat or vgui'cleway"124 forjthefstaples The forward ends of lthe legs 126 are-recessed fatof'form y:shoulders f28 @which overlapand engage 'ftheendof the-bottom`wall |`8 lofthe arm dfto Milocatewthe shear-plate 25 vin position;andthe VliigsIZ'l .on vthe flegs '-l rhave ffconcaved edges fto assist'f the 1 riveting-operation which fastens fthe mount- ;ing :in the'-arm. It will fbe understood that the megs #6M-andthe endsfof -theshear-plate i215 are I space'di inwardly-from the sides l t9 ofthe varm4 K .iwardlyf across f its 'upperfedge toA provide LAfor`- supunder sideof the latter.

porting crowned staples s having crossbars bowed or arched upwardly atthe center.

A rod having its reduced end held in a hole 3| in the shear-plate 25extends rearwardly therefrom `at the center of the arm 4 with itsopposite end engaging a hole in an angular support 32 resting on thebottom I8 of the arm. The rearward end of the rod 30 engages against areduced portion of the pivot pin '20 for retaining the pin fromlongitudinal displacement in the ears at the ends of the arm 4. Thestaples s are straddled across the rod 30 Within the sides I9 of the arm4 with the ends of their legs resting on the bottom I 8.

A staple-pusher 33 of inverted channel shape having legs 34 resting onthe bottom I8 of the arm 4 is provided with opposite holes through whichthe rod 3l! extends to adapt the pusher to slide longitudinally thereof.Coiled around the rod 30 is a helical spring 35 tensioned between therearward leg 34 of the pusher 33 and the ymember 32 to adapt it to slidethe pusher forwardly for feeding the staples s toward the throat 24 atthe forward end of the arm 4. The spring 35 also serves to hold theangular support 32 against the pin 20 to retain it in position.

The fastener-applying leverl 5 which forms the closure for the open topof the magazine-arm 4 Ais of inverted channel-shape comprising a top anddepending sides 4I.

The rearward ends of the sides 4I of the lever 5 are formed withcircular ears 42 which straddle the sides of the .stanchions I0 on the-plate 6 and are pierced with holes for receiving the ends of the pin 20to pivotally mount the lever on the base 2. The lever 5 thus is adaptedto rock on its pivot toward and away from the base 2 and also relativelyto the magazine-arm 4 with its sides 4I enclosing the sides I9 of thelatter.

The lever 5 carries a staple-driver 45 which is` l reciprocable in thethroat 24 of the arm 4 to drive 'the staples s into the work.Preferably, the staple-driver 45 is in the form of a relatively thinrectangular blade 46, see Fig 3, bent at right scribed. The studs 41 and48 also serve as the means for fastening the forward end of a leafspringto the under side of the top wall 40,.

of the lever 5 underlying the driver-strip 46. The forward stud 41 has aknurled head 49 abutting the top of the lever 5 and a reduced shank 5I.which is inserted through holes in the driverstrip 46 and the spring 50and riveted over on the of the stud 41 serves as a means for securing afinger-piece or hollow knob on the top of the lever 5; the knob beingpreferably molded from plastic in ornamental contour and shouldered atlthe front to engage the forward end of the lever Y to prevent it fromturning on the stud. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 3 that thespring 50 is offset downwardly at 56 rearwardly of the stud 41 and thenoffset upwardly to form a boss,

51 engaging against the under side of the driverstrip 46, the stud 48being inserted through holes in the top 40 of the lever 5, the strip 46and the boss 51 and riveted over at its end. The spring 50 extendsrearwardly from the stud 48 with a second offset boss 58 at a slightdistance therefrom and then is curved downwardly to adapt its end toengage against the upper edges of the stanchions I0 on the base-.plate6. The spring 5!) thus acts to maintain the lever 5 in raised Theknurled head 49l position relatively to the magazine-arm 4 aS shown inFig. 3, but is adapted to be compressed by forcing the lever downwardlyto slide the driver 45 through the throat 24; the rearward end of thespring sliding on the,l edges of the stanchions Ill during thecompression.

The sides I9 of the magazine-arm 4 are cut away at 59 to prowde inclinedshoulders (ill adapted to be engaged positively by the end of the spring50 should the arm be raised above the base 2, thereby preventing thereturn of the lever 5 to operative position until the arm is loweredinto adjacent relation to the base. The purpose of this provision is toguard against the accidental driving of a staple should the lever 5 bepressed down toward the arm 4 while the operators 1ingers are graspingthe under side of the arm.

It will be observed by reference to the drawings that normally the endof the spring 53 bears against and slides on the upper edges of thestanchions IU at the rearward end of the base II, either when the partsof the implement are in operative relationship as shown in Fig. 3 orwhen the lever 5 is unlatched from the magazinearm 4 and raised into theposition shown in Fig. 4 for loading the magazine with staples. However,when the lever 5 is raised above the magazine-arm 4 as shown in Fig. 4,should the arm be inadvertently or accidentally lifted away from thebase I I' it will cause the end of the spring 5U to engage positivelywith the inclined shoulders 6U on the arm. Due to the inclination of theshoulders 68 they will then lie in a plane normal to the iiat side ofthe spring 50 so as to engage positively with its end. Therefore, suchpositive engagement between the end of the spring 50 and the shoulders68 on the arm 3 will prevent the lever 5 from being carried back towardthe arm until the latter is lowered down against the base II. Thus,should the operator lift the arm 3 with his ngers thereunder and attemptto connect it with the lever 5, this will be impossible withoutreleasing the spring 50 from the shoulders 60. By this safety provisionaccidental driving of a staple from the arm 4 into the ngers of theoperator held thereneath is prevented so as to avoid possible injury Thelever 5 normally is retained in cooperative relation to the magazine-arm4 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, while permitting it to be pressed down withrespect thereto to drive the staples, by an improved latching devicenext described. T-he latching means comprises a manually-operativemember 65, shown in perspective viewin 'Fig 6, which is slidably mountedon the under side of the top 40 of the lever 5 in the space above theforward portion of the spring 50, see Figs. 3 and 6. The slide or latch55 is of inverted channel-shape having a top wall 66 and depending legsor runners 61 abutting the sides 4I of the lever 5. The legs 61 areextended downwardly at the front beyond the sides of the lever 5 andformed with forwardly-projecting hook-like lugs 68 at the bottom. Thehooks or lugs 68 are beveled downwardly toward the rear to providerelatively short inclined faces adapted to engage under similar inclinedor angular detent-faces 16 at the rearward ends of flanges 1I, see Figs.2 and 4, folded or bent outwardly from the forward ends of the sidewalls I9 of the magazine-arm 4.

Referring to Figs. 3, 6, and 8, the upper wall ofthe latch or slide 65is cut away with a rectangular opening 13 to provide clearance for theboss 51 on the spring 5 and the rivet or stud 48 which fastens thespring in place, wherebyA to :gustan allow sliding movement of lthelatch. The Stop aof Jthe 'latch B5 4is 'also Afcut Aaway at the frontwith an :opening :1.4 to adapt '-it to clear the stud @'41 during itssliding movement. The llatch L65 lis adapted Ito be manipulated toengage lits .lugs 68 with or dsenga'ge them .from the detents 'lll onfthezarm-ll by .means of aa'inger-piece N3 bent Lupwardly :from itsrearwami end and projecting lthroughfa slot 't6 in the top-of the leverA5.

.The latch `65 is `mounted rather loosely 'in the rspace between thespring 5D sand the 'driver-strip 4B @but .is A.controlled :in .itsmovement .by means :of Aa :leaf-spring 180 overlying the top .of thelever '5 beneath ithe lhollow kknob 55 and .fasten'ed'th'eretorby the:head of fthe stud or rivet 48. Thefore part .of the :leaf-spring t iisoffset upwardly to :adapt it to loverlie the end 'of .alug $2 'bent upyfrom the .top `of 'thelatch 65 Aat 'the rearward end of .itsopening 'M.and projecting `through arrepenzing 183 `in the top .of the =lever 5. Arounded proituberance 8d 4on .the forward end ofthe spring 80 .adapted.to engage 'the edge of Athe lug l582 to -yieldin-gly retain thelatchi155 in "forward position with its lugs 58 vhooked in under the detents"t0 onthe Varm il. itis required to release the l-atching means .topermit raising the lever 5, to

uncover the magazine in the-arm 4 for supplying it with staples,1thelatch 65 may be `withdrawn :by .pressing against the finger-'piece 18 to'force :it .rearwardly with :the spring L80 yielding to 'allow the lug82 to ride yunder the protuberance B4. The method of operation of the`complete implement is explained as follows:

After the latching means have been released in the manner describedabove the cover or lever A Amay :be raised from .the arm 4 as indicatedin Fig. 4 and swung clear back toppen-the magazine to receive one ormore sticks or refills of staples s. To provide for insert-ing the"staples 'in the magazine fthe pusher 33 is slid rearwardly therein bythe operators finger to compress t-he vspring :35 and, usually, meanssuch :as shown and described in -my United States Patent No. 2,264,322"of December 2, 1941, are provided .for latching the pusher in retractedposition. After the staples have been placed in the magazine the lever 5is swung down into overlying relation to the arm 4 and the latch 65 isslid forward to engage its hooked lugs 68 under the detents 10.

With the present improved latching means the manual restoration of theparts of the implement to cooperating relationship may be accomplishedvery conveniently by a simple movement of one hand. With the implementresting on a desk or other support the fingers of one hand are extendedfrom the front across the top of the knob 55 and pressure exertedthereon to depress the lever 5 toward the arm 4. As the lever 5 islowered to a position slightly bel-ow that illustrated in Fig. 2 onefinger may be engaged in back of the fingerpiece I8 to slide the latch55 forward to advance its lugs 68 in under the detents 'l0 forengagement therewith when pressure on the lever 5 is released and thelatter is raised by the action of the spring 50. Substantially the sameone-handed manipulation may also be used for releasing the latch 65 topermit raising the lever 5 to open the magazine it being noted, however,that to withdraw the latch it is unnecessary to press down on the lever5 since the inclined faces of the lugs 68 and detents 1D adapts them toact as cams to effect their release by causing a slight relativemovement between the lever and the arm 4.

The implement is operated in the usual manner by inserting the workacross the fore part of the s6 #base 2 inzunder th'earm vil .andstriking or .pressing against the knob 55. r/Ihe pressure :on the @knob55 will .rst Icause `,both the `lever f5 and arm 4 to swing downwardlyvagainst the .tension of the spring 50 :until yithe forward `end. o'f`the arm bears against .the work resting labove the clincher grooves L3.4At kthis juncture the spring 5t will yield to :a further extent .to.allow the lever `5 to 'continue its descent toslide :the :staple-driver'45 down through 'the throat .24. Meanwhile, ythe foremoststaple s inthe .magazine will vhave -been fed forward across the 'top rof theshear-plate 125 fand-into the throat ,24 to ibe driven into the work andits Llegs bent over on the under side .thereof :by th'eir engagementwith the curved bottom of lth'e cl-incher grooves "3.

lntmy .patent .reierredto above .means areshown for releasing thevpusher 33 from Lits detention means .at the rear `of the magazine asoperated 'automatically vby closing the lever 5 toward the lmagazine-armt yand such means may be -em- .ployed in the .present implement,although they are not herein shown as they form yno part of `the presentlinvention. The release ofthe pusher lcauses it to act continuouslytofadvancethe staples .progressively inthe magazine t-o feed them one at.a 'time `into the `throat 24 where they are sheared from the -strip orstick and driven into the work by .the .reciprocation :of the driver 45..The .implement thus 'may be operated continuously to :apply anydesirednumber of staples to the'work lwhile asupplyiremains in themagazine. `When the supply is rexhausted the magazine may :be loadedAagain most expeditiously and conveniently in the manner describedabove.

It will be yobserved .from vthe foregoing specication that y'theinvention provides improvements inlthe structure of fastener-applyingimplements @to render them .more 'convenient to operate and more efcientand durable in use. `While vtheinvention is fhereinshown as embodied ina pre- Aferred form of device itis to be understood that theimprovements may be applied'to other types of implements and varied inits ldetails without :departing from 'the-spirit and scope :of ltheinvention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I :claim:

1. In a device of the type indicated, an arm constructed as a hollowmagazine for containing a supply of fasteners, a lever of invertedchannelshape forming a cover for the magazine and pivoted to adapt it toswing relatively thereto to drive the fasteners therefrom,detent-projections on the sides of the arm, and a latch slidable underthe top of the arm and formed with depending sides having means forengaging the detentprojections on the arm, said latch having meansprojecting through the top of the lever for manually sliding it.

2. In a device of the type indicated, an arm of channel-shape forming ahollow magazine -for containing a supply of fasteners, a lever ofinverted channel-shape pivoted at one end to the magazine-arm to adaptit to rock relatively thereto, means carried by the lever for drivingthe staples from the arm, a latch slidable within the sides yof thelever at the rear of the fastenerdriving means and having depending legswith beveled lugs at their forward ends, and detentprojections on thesides of the magazine-arm formed with beveled faces adapted forengagement by the beveled lugs on the lever to connect it with the armwhile permitting limited relative movement therebetween.

3. In a device of the type indicated, a hollow '7 arm constituting amagazine for` containing a. supply of fasteners, a lever of invertedchannelshape pivoted to swing toward and away from the arm and forming acover for the magazine, a leafspring fastened beneath the top of thelever with its fore part in spaced relation thereto, said spring actingto resist the swinging movement of the lever toward the arm, a U-s-hapedlatch slidably mounted between the spring and the top of the arm andprovided with hook-like lugs on its lower forward sides, anddetent-projections on the sides of the arm for engagement by the lugs onthe latch to limit the upward swinging movement of the lever under thetension f the spring.

4. In a device of the type indicated, a base, a channel-shaped armpivoted to the base and adapted to contain a supply of fasteners, alever of inverted channel-shape pivoted to the base to swing relativelyto the arm, a leaf-spring for normally rocking the lever upwardly withrespect to the arm, said spring fastened beneath the top of the leverand having portions offset downwardly therefrom to provide a spacetherebetween, a latch having its upper portion slidable in the spacebetween the spring and top of the lever, and detents on the armengageable by the latch to limit the upward movement of the leverrelatively to the arm under the tension of the spring.

5. In a device of the type indicated, a hollow magazine-arm forcontaining a sup-ply of fasteners, detent-projections at the sides ofthe arm formed with beveled faces, a lever pivotally mounted at one endto swing toward and away from the arm and forming a closure for its opentop, and a latch slidable on the lever and having depending runnersformed with forwardly-projecting lugs having beveled faces adapted toengage the beveled faces on the detenta-projections to retain the leverin cooperative relation to the arm for driving the fasteners therefrom.

6. In a device of the type indicated, a hollow arm for containing asupply of fasteners, a lever movable relatively to the arm, a drivermounted on the lever for reciprocation across the front of the arm todrive the fasteners therefrom, and a member having a shear-plateconstituted by a fiat forward wall with legs projecting rearwardlytherefrom and provided with means for riveting it to the bottom of thearm to support the shearplate in vertical position at the rear of thedriver.

7. In a device of the type indicated, a hollow arm having a horizontalbottom and upstanding sides for containing a supply of fasteners, saidarm having a vertical wall at its forward end, a vertical shear-pl-ateconstituted by a flat forward Wall disposed in parallel spaced relationto the front wall of the arm to form a throat or guideway for thefasteners, said shear-plate having rearwardly-extending legs ofrelatively short length with means on their under side for fasteningthem to the bottom of the arm to support it therefrom, and a driverreciprocable in said throat to drive fasteners therethrough as they aresheared from a strip held in the magazine-arm.

8. In a device of the type indicated, a magazine for staples having abottom and upstanding side walls, said side walls folded inwardly toprovide a vertical wall at the forward end of the magazine, and ashear-plate constituted by a fiat forward wall disposed at the rear ofthe front wall of the magazine in spaced relation thereto andconstructed with integral portions folded rearwardly therefrom toprovide longitudinally-extending legs formed with projecting lugs at thebottom engaging openings in the bottom of the arm and xedly securedtherein to mount the shear-plate in the magazine.

ARTHUR H. MAYNARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,264,322 Maynard Dec. 2, 19412,309,778 Maynard Feb. 2, 1943 2,312,142 Abrams Feb. 23, 1943 2,354,760Lindstrom Aug. l, 1944

